Improvement in bee-hives



N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHEH, WASHINGTON D C S. L. RICHARDSON, OFWEBS'IE'R CITY, IOWA.

Letters Patent No. 85,401, dated .December 29, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

The Schedule referred to n these netters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that I, S. L. Ricnnnnson, of Webster City, inthe county of Hamilton, in the State of Iowa, have invented several new and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionV and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan, with cap and honey-board of hive removed;

Figure 2 is an isometrical elevation Figin-e 3 is a side elevation;

Figure 4 is a front elevation;

Figure 5y is a longitudinal section;

Figure 6 is a transverse section; and

Figure 7 is a section showing projection E, of endpiece D, which forms the seat for the bearings in the brood-box.

My bottom board is a rectangular board, of the same size, laterally, as the brood-box B, except upon the front side of the hive I have it project from two to'six inches for an alighting-space, F. (Fig. 2.) I fasten itby nailing to cleats or bars, placed across near the ends on the under side, to prevent warping, and bevel the edges on the upper side t-o carry out moisture.

I fasten the bottom board to the lower edge of tlie brood box by hooks, f, placed on the sides near the ends,

as clearly shown in figs. and Above the bottoml board I place the brood-box B.' This is a rectangidar box, without top or bottom, and

is preventedii'om contact with the bottom board by nails, driven into the lower-edge, one near each corner, thus leaving a shallow space between the lower edge of the brood-box and bottom board. This space I close by strips of wood, In, tig. 2, placed at the outer edge, leaving the inner portion of the shallow space open, and communicating with the inside of the broodbox. In this open space the moths or worms will, naturally hide to spin their coeoons, to await their transformation to inillcrs, where, by occasionally taking out the narrow strips, they can be .easily destroyed, without raising the hive or disturbing the bees.

Around, near thc top of the brood-box, I place a movable portico, P, which is a rectangular frame, slanting downwards, and rests upon projections, E,ti1.7,of the end-pieces D, (forming the seats tbrlthe bearings in the brood-box,) and can be put on or taken ofi' at pleasure, like the shade ot' a lamp, and will be found useful for ai'ording shade andshelter in summer, and facilities for convenient protection in winter.-

Instead oi' ina-king these strips ny of one piece for the front of the hive, as I do for the sides and back, I make two pieces of equal length, and by witlulrawing these towards the sides, I forni an opening for the entrance of'the bees, which'opening may be enlarged or diminished at pleasure.

For' the bearings of the comb-bars or frames, both brood-box, as shown in iig. 5.

ci. (Figs. 5 and 6.) The comb-bars are strips of wood,

of proper width and thickness, and supported near the ends by the .bearing-pins above described, which are shown in tip'. 1 by dots, and in r. 6 byrows oi' short marks.

The comb-iramesare the bars above described, with thin strips nailed endwise to the under side, near the ends, and extending downwards far enough to prevent y the bees from fastening their combs to the sides ofthe Above the brood-box, I place. the spare-honey chamber, which is a rectangular box, without top or bottom, and shuts down over the upper edge ofthe brood-box, and rests upon the inner edge of the portico. I take spare honey by means of bars, frames, or boxes, placed in the spare-honey chamber, as suits my convenience. When using bars or frames, l place bearing-boards in the spare-honey chamber, one at Veach end and one across near the middle. Those at the endsrest upon the end-pieces D, iig.' 7, forming the seats for the bear ings in the brood-box,- and are heldin position by their own-weight and that imposed upon them. That acrossnear the middle has` upright pieces nailed to the ends,

which projectbelow andhold it in position, by being inserted in holes in the sides ofthe brood-'box for that pin'pose. They are simply plain pieces of boards, with bearing-pins in their upper edges, and maybe removed entirely' when desirable.

In the spare-honey chamber, I place a thin partition, or honey-board, d, tif. 5, composed of two pieces of thin boards, lapping one upon the other, tofacilitate removal or ch( nge of position. This honey-board may be laid upon the comb-bars or frames, or be supported above themon pins, blocks, or screwsf In iig. 5 it is shown as restingupon the comb-bars in the surplus-honey chamber.

Above the spare-honey chamber,I and resting upon it, I place the shallow cap or cover G. Thisl is a rect angular box or frame, with a double-sloping roof to facilitate the shedding of water, and shuts down over the upper edge of the spare-,honey chamber, and is supported by cleatsl nailed upon the inside, which rest `upon the 'upper edge of the spare-honey chamber.

l support my hives by posts, H, set in the ground, upon which the projection E, of the piece D, iig. 7, rests, and is secured by nailing, or by a notch or mortise in the. top of the posts, into which the projection Edrops, by which means the brood-box B is held suspended' between, the posts, as is clearly shown in the drawings.` By this arrangement the bottom board can be unhooked and cleaned, without disturbing the hive,

and will be a security against accidental over-setting. I do not claim the bottom bonrd, brood-boxfsparehoney chamber, cup, comb-bars or frames, honey-board,

ber, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

4The shallow spaee between the brood-box :md bottom board, in combination with narrow strips of wood, 11, to :LC-t as :t moth-tmp.

6. The projection E, ofthe end-pieces I), to support' the portico, and form been-ings, upon which the hive is supported by the posts H.

7. The honey-board IZ, in two pieces, lapping one upon the other, for the purposes specified.

Witnesses: S. L. RICHARDSON.

VL A. CRosLEY, G. W. CosLnY. 

